Malcolm X: The Pilgrimage to Makkah

Mecca 1964 - Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.

I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca. I have made my seven circuits around the Ka'ba, led by a young Mutawaf named Muhammad. I drank water from the well of the Zam Zam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on Mt. Arafat.

There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.

America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered 'white'--but the 'white' attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.

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You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.

During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug)--while praying to the same God--with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions in the deeds of the 'white' Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.

We were truly all the same (brothers)--because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude.

I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man--and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their 'differences' in color.

With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called 'Christian' white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster--the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.

Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities--he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth--the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.

Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a 'white' man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed...Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors--honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King--not a Negro.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.

Sincerely,

El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz

(Malcolm X)

This letter was written by Imam Malcolm X in April of 1964 during his pilgrimage to the Holy City of Makkah (Mecca).

Related posts from similar topics:

Hajj and the Animal Sacrifice

Essence of Hajj

Universal Lessons of Hajj

A Quranic Pilgrimage

Hajj for Human Dignity and Unity

The Spirituality of Hajj

Intention of Hajj

Hajj - Not a two-week vacation

Things Every Prospective Hajji Should Know

Simple Hajj Steps (Schedule)

Modern Challenges to the Spirit of Hajj

Hajj: World's Largest Pilgrimage

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For Malcolm X Alhaj Shabbaz it was a sign of his Haj Mabrur an accepted Haj.He completely changed his life after coming back from that journey of the soul and spirit.Allahu Akbar only if one goes and experience what he/she has seen then one can come to a conclusion of the tthfulness of Islam.Masha Allah Tabarakal Lah He was an inspiration as true Muslim a guide for the whole humanity.Remember he was what he was as an X criminal gang,drug dealer Christian, member of the Nation of Islam Racist who used to hate whites but changed after having performed Hajj became Alhaji Shabbaz Malcolm X the Orator True Muslim who was a symbol of unity.Unfortunately he was assasinated simply because of his creed making him become good Muslim like every other simple Muslim.He was treated like a King and yet he was simple this made him changed his mind and came to the true nature of Islam the correct belief.May Allah make all of us become the means of guidance to the entire humanity Amen.

Jesus is one of the Prophets of Islam. The religion brought by " al-Masi " ( the Messiah ), or Ibnu Maryam ( son of Maryam ) or Jesus ( Jesus, peace be upon him ) is Islam, and that Islam is perfected by Muhammad ( peace be upon him ). Converts to Islam find it amazing, that they could still love Jesus ( J-pbuh ) even more, without any contradiction of conscience. In islam, there is no conflict of logic at all. That he is just a messenger of GOD and that he has miracles that derived from GOD, not that of his own. Did he ever claim that he is the son of GOD ? No, he never did. He (a.s. ) prayed to the GOD in heaven for wisodom and courage and strength.

Look, I'm trying my best to mince my words here but it suffice for me to state that Muslims reverred Jesus ( a.s ) more and there are more reverence to Mary the virgin in the Quran than any others. ( see the chapter Mary in the Quran ).

Thanks for telling Jesus is Islam, not Christianity, he was never. By the way he never was a "white". Shuja

Shuja, I might be of help to liberate you from your problem of racial hatred. You mentioned in your post that Islam is the solution to the world's racial problem. Evidence surfaced as you are grudging with the mention that Jesus was not white. But the whites are disciples of this blessed person whom you mention was not white. Commitment of the heart to serve truth is more than color of the skin expressing physical similarity.

I have lots of appreciation to the whites for their contribution to liberate souls of men and women around the world by the glorious gospel of Lord Jesus Christ. In contrast, our own clans only cheated us for long keeping us in bondage to our social and cultural biases. Our national leaders shut us up in the temporal pride of nationality. They lead us to despise the people of the whole outside world as "non nationals" and shun from having association, especially the Spiritual Association among the faithful. As against this, we have learnt from the whites that "all men are born equal, created of one blood, endued with reason" etc. indicating that the racial diversities are the skill of the master creator. Isn't this a solution to racial problem? Isn't this Jesus' way of touching the heart of men? Isn't this beginning of liberation into true Islam? Aren't the whites practically in true Islam without any pretension using this argument?

It is dangerous to resort to any other creed leaving the glorious gospel of Lord Jesus Christ as the apostle mentions in the following words:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal 1:8-9 Amen.

Twin Towers: There are at least 10 thousand twin towers are in the making in Iraq every year. More than that. Twin Towers is a joke converted into tragedy by CIA plotters.

Thanks for telling Jesus is Islam, not Christianity, he was never. By the way he never was a "white".

Where to start from? 200 million Red Indians or 400 year of shipping and handling slavery straight from Africa. oh' not a single soul of any Jew is spared by Crusaders, most of the Muslims were massacred in Jerusalem.

I am confident not one of the Japs has read your foolish comments, they still remember their dead souls of Nagasaki.

Koreans are still recovering from their 2 million dead. Vietnam......

Now, next is Iran.

Islam is not the solution. It is the only solution. The Islam of Jesus Christ that he preached and practiced and handed over to Mohammad for the epic culmination.

Shut up. Would you. Ask Germans, 70% says Americans are the problem. Evangelical cookies, in the name of Christian Christ, not true Muslim Christ. Christ of Islam.

It was an eye opener for our Brother Alhaj Shabbaz Malcolm X.He was unfortunately assasinated by the enemies of Deen in order to maintain the status quo.Having descovered the truth that all races are equal he stopped his former Aqeedah of the so called Nation of Islam which became the stepping stone for entering into the real Deen as preached by Islam. This truth brought together all races and no body is better than another except in Taqwa piety. It is the only true Deen that can unite mankind together making them One Ummah as real United Nations from Indonesia to Africa all under the banner of Laila ha ilallah.May Allah give guidance to the entire mankind to realise the truth and come out of their parochial biased illusion and delusion so as to please the Creator collectively.

With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called 'Christian' white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Malcolm X April, 1964

That was in 1964. What would the author say now, at the present scenario, after the destruction of twin towers, damage of pentagon and attempted destruction of White house on 11th September 2001? Perhaps he would think of the past as a dream and the present was a reality! Greater still, there is eternal reality of destruction for those who submit not to the promised seed of Abraham who came in person 42 generations later with glad tidings from God. Even his own brethren who bow not to him shall likewise face destruction in their soul.

Does America really lack religion, principles or discipline to cast down its superiority look reportedly existing with its white people among various races? What causes others to wear inferior features? Those professing the practice of Biblical Christianity cannot be convicted or brought to subjection by any other principles if they have failed the highest morals professed publicly. Only judgment from high will set this right. Alarming!

Islam < ...> with oaths, swearing, curses and threatening is no solution to the racial disunity of world's people. Are not muslims problem among themselves and the world's peace loving societies? Know Jesus, know peace, No Jesus, No peace. Jesus is true Islam (=Isa Aslam, Isa salaam)

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